Field Leads Stickwomen Past Cornell

The Crimson field hockey team yesterday reinforced its claim to a national ranking by dominating a large, aggressive Cornell squad, in Ithaca, N.Y., 3-1--bad performance for a rebuilding team.

Coach Edie MacAusland judges talent like Baltimore Oriole manager Earl Weaver. Like Weaver, MacAusland proclaimed this a rebuilding year. And, like the Orioles, the Crimson just may go all the way.

Sue Field put the numbers on the board at 13:30 of the first half and 1:15 of the second. But the key was teamwork--and goalie Betty Ippolito.

"We really controlled with our stick-work. We played possesion hockey," co-captain Chris Sailer said yesterday. "They were real strong and big, but we set it up for the good shot," she added.

MacAusland agrees. "I think everyone on our team played well," she said. "There wasn't a standout player...it was a real team effort."

After Field provided a two-goal cushion, the Crimson switched to a defensive game-a tactic that worries MacAusland. "I'm a little concerned. Against Cornell and Penn we seemed to sit on our leads and not attack in the second half," she said.

Once again, however, the lack of a second-half offense did not hurt the Crimson, as Ippolito kicked away 11 shots to save the win. Jennifer White's late goal at 23:12 put the final nail in the Big Red coffin.

MacAusland used a five-man forward line, and one fewer defender, which may have solved this year's major problem--turning offensive domination into firepower.

"We played our game and set up for our shots," MacAusland said. "We played control hockey."

Once again, poor field conditions hampered the Crimson. Cornell's field, in Ithaca, N.Y., was slick as a result of heavy rains.

The win improves the stickwomen's record to 4-2, with both losses at the hands of top-twenty opponents--Springfield and New Hampshire. The team faces a tough week, however, with a game at Boston College Tuesday night, and a big contest with nationally-ranked Dartmouth a week from today at Soldiers Field.

Field conditions for the upcoming games should not be a problem. Saturday's game is at home on a familiar surface and on Tuesday, The Crimson venture to Boston College's astro turf field, where they should excel.

"Field hockey on turf is a different game," Ippolito said. "That's where we're really going to shine." And if the Crimson comes up with two performances like yesterday's, the team will undoubtably crack the top twenty.